Principle photography is underway for Go Soo‘s second film this year, upcoming war drama Before the Hills, alongside big-screen veteran Shin Ha-kyun (Festival, Cafe Noir). They’ll be playing soldiers who get taken by the North as prisoners of war, and will form an opposition force against their captors.

Before the Hills is the third feature film by director Jang Hoon, who helmed this year’s Secret Reunion, starring Song Kang-ho and Kang Dong-won. The screenplay was written by Park Sang-yeon, of MBC’s mega-hit, Queen Seon-deok. Well, I definitely see it going for the dramatic highs and lows, then.

Ryu Seung-ryong (The Recipe, Personal Taste) plays the Northern leader that they will go up against (love him!), and Kim Ok-bin and Go Chang-suk also star.

The premise of this is at least a departure from the usual war epic, which intrigues me, and well, the cast is oh so good.
Before the Hills will premiere in the summer of 2011.

Previously known as "Battle of Highlands" on HanCinema
Synopsis
In 1951 ceasefire is declared, but two remaining armies fought their final battle on the front line
Towards the end of the upcoming Korean War, a South upcoming Korean battalion is fiercely battling over a hill on the front line border against the North in order to capture a strategic point that would determine the new border between two nations. The ownership of this small patch of land would swap multiple times each day. Kang is dispatched to the front line in order to investigate the tacit case that's been happening there. But he gets spiraled into the war that's more terrifying than death itself when he meets his friend Kim, who has transformed into a war machine, and his unit. As the countdown for ceasefire begins, both sides become more vicious, resulting in deaths of countless lives until the last man could claim the land.

In 1951 ceasefire is declared, but two remaining armies fought their final battle on the front line towards the end of the upcoming Korean War, a South upcoming Korean battalion is fiercely battling over a hill on the front line border against the North in order to capture a strategic point that would determine the new border between two nations. The ownership of this small patch of land would swap multiple times each day. Kang is dispatched to the front line in order to investigate the tacit case that's been happening there. But he gets spiraled into the war that's more terrifying than death itself when he meets his friend Kim, who has transformed into a war machine, and his unit. As the countdown for ceasefire begins, both sides become more vicious, resulting in deaths of countless lives until the last man could claim the land.

"The Front Line" has been nominated for 11 categories including Best Film at the 32nd Blue Dragon Film Awards, a leading annual awards ceremony organized by the Sports Chosun that focuses on new blockbusters.

Directed by Jang Hoon, the movie revolves around a final battle fought in the early stages of the 1950-53 Korean War after the 1951 ceasefire is announced, showing how soldiers can lose their humanity in the insanity of war. It stars Sin Ha-gyoon and Ko Soo, among others.

According to the awards committee on Wednesday, the movie is also in the running for Best Director, Best Leading Actor, Best Supporting Actor, Best New Actor, Best Cinematography, Best Lighting, Best Original Score, Best Art Direction, Technical Award and Best Original Screenplay.

"Arrow, The Ultimate Weapon", starring Park Hae-il as the best archer in the Chosun Dynasty and his odyssey to rescue his sister, picked up nominations for 10 categories, including Best Film and Best Director, while "Sunny - 2010" has a fighting chance in eight categories and "The Crucible" seven, including Best Leading Actress for Jeong Yu-mi.

This year's Blue Dragon Film Awards will be held at Kyunghee University in Seoul on Nov. 25. A total of 22 films will compete in 15 categories.

Director JANG Hun's "The Front Line" was the big winner at the 31st Korean Association of Film Critics (KAFC) Awards. The ceremony was held at the Seoul Press Center on the evening of Friday, Nov. 11.

South Korea's submission to the Academy Awards best foreign language film nominations, The Front Line snapped up a total of four KAFC awards - Best Picture, Best Director, Best Screenplay, and Best New Actor. (See below for full list.)

Ha Jeong-woo picked up Best Actor for his performance in Na Hong-jin's thriller "The Yellow Sea" while Chinese actress Tang Wei won Best Actress for her performance in Kim Tae-yong's "Late Autumn - 2010".

Director of the Shaw Brothers production "Five Fingers of Death", CHUNG Chang-hwa - also known alternately as JEONG Chang Hwa, CHENG Chang Ho and JENG Cheong Woh– was awarded for his lifetime Contribution to Cinema. His many other films include Korean historical drama "Jang Hee Bin" (1961) and Hong Kong film "Temptress of a Thousand Faces" (1969).

For her contribution to the popularization of Korean animation with "Leafie, A Hen Into The Wild", producer Jaime SHIM, CEO of Myung Films,also won a Special Mention.